Information we may hold about you

Our role is to purchase and manage healthcare services to provide our patients with high quality healthcare. We do not process personal information for the majority of patients and service users, this is limited to the clinicians and organisations directly involved in providing your care, for example your GP practice. There are some occasions when we will collect information about you, this can include:

• Your name, address, date of birth and details of your GP• Your medical condition and the treatment(s) that you receive

These are usually limited to:

• Managing a complaint on you have made about a service • Managing Individual Funding Requests for care.

Some teams may also occasionally have access to your information, these could include:

Why does the CCG keep this information?

By law we have to keep certain information about you where it has been provided by you in relation to your care.

How your personal information is used

Your records are used to direct and manage the care you receive to ensure that healthcare professionals have the information they need to be able to assess and improve the quality and type of care you receive and that your concerns can be properly investigated if a complaint is raised.

Only members of staff directly involved in reviewing your care/complaint are able to see your information. Everyone who does see your information must keep it confidential.We will only use information collected accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and undertake not to use any information we may hold about you for any purpose other than that for which it was collected, unless we have obtained your consent.

Everyone working for the NHS is subject to the Common Law Duty of Confidence. The NHS Confidentiality Code of Conduct requires that all our staff protect your information, inform you of how your information will be used and allow you to decide if and how your information can be shared unless there is a legal exemption.

Any of our partner organisations or agencies that handle information must do so under strict conditions and in line with the law.

All staff have contractual obligations of confidentiality, enforceable through disciplinary procedures and staff who have access to patient identifiable information will have received appropriate training to ensure they are aware of their responsibilities. Staff are only granted access to personal data on a need to know basis only.

Data collected will not be sent to countries where the laws do not protect your privacy to the same extent as the law in the UK.

For independent advice about data protection, privacy and data-sharing issues, you can contact the Information Commissioner at:

Who we share information with

In certain situations we may share your information with other organisations involved in your care or where we have to by law. These organisations may include but are not limited to:

• Your GP • Other NHS Trusts or organisation involved in your care• Social care services / local authorities • Voluntary and private sector providers working with the NHS

Where information sharing is required with third parties, we will not disclose any health information without your explicit consent unless:

• You ask us to do so• A court order has been served on us• To assist the police in the prevention and detection of crime• To protect children and vulnerable adults• We have special permission for health and research purposes (granted by the Health Research Authority) • For the health and safety of others, for example to report an infectious disease such as meningitis or measles• The law requires it or to carry out a statutory function.

Disclosure of information – your consent

You have the right to say how and with whom we share the personal information in your records that identifies you. This must be noted explicitly within your records in order that all healthcare professionals and staff treating and involved with you are aware of your decision. By choosing this option, it may make the provision of treatment or care more difficult or unavailable.

Your right to withdraw consent

At any time you have the right to refuse/withdraw your consent to information sharing. If you chose to do so it could delay and also impact on the care that you receive. The possible consequences of withdrawing consent will be explained.

Accessing your health records

You can request either to see your medical records or to request a copy of your notes. If you want to access your GP medical records, you will need to contact your GP surgery and arrange with them to either view your records or to request a copy of the records. If you wish to access any information we may hold about you then please contact us.